Sabalan

Main battle tank

The Iranian Sabalan is
an upgrade version of the American M47M medium tank

Entered service

?

Crew

4 men

Dimensions and weight

Weight

~ 50 t

Length (gun forward)

~ 8.5 m

Hull length

~ 6.5
m

Width

~ 3.6
m

Height

~ 3.3 m

Armament

Main gun

105-mm rifled

Machine guns

1 x 7.62-mm

Elevation range

?

Traverse range

360 degrees

Ammunition load

Main gun

?

Machine guns

?

Mobility

Engine

Continental AVDS-1790-2 diesel

Engine power

~ 750 hp

Maximum road speed

~ 50 km/h

Range

~ 500 km

Maneuverability

Gradient

60%

Side slope

30%

Vertical step

~ 1 m

Trench

~ 2.2 m

Fording

~ 1.2 m

Fording (with preparation)

?

In 2014 a
new tank was revealed in Iran. It is an upgraded version of the US
M47M Patton medium tank. It has a new turret with a 105-mm gun. Also
it has new fire control system and a number of other improvements.
The new tank is named after a Sabalan mountain.

The American
M47 Patton medium tank was built in large numbers. During the Cold
War it was widely exported to US allies. Iran received a number of
updated M47M tanks. This version was never used by the United
States. It has engine and fire control elements of the
M60A1 as well as some other
improvements. Iranian tanks saw combat during Iran-Iraq war. Around
400 of these medium tanks were supplied to Iran and almost 170 of
them are still operational. It seems that Iran plans to upgrade
these ageing tanks to Sabalan standard to keep them combat worthy
and in service. Sabalan upgrade costs about one third of the price
of the newly-built
Zulfiqar 3 MBT.
Currently it is unknown how many tanks will be upgraded to Sabalan
standard.

The Sabalan
is armed with American M68 105-mm rifled gun. It is based on the
British L7 rifled gun, which is widely used around the world. The
same gun is used on Iranian M60 tanks. So this gun is likely to be
compatible with standard NATO 105-mm tank ammunition. However
Iranian sources claim that the gun is smoothbore. It is worth noting
that original M47 Patton medium tank was armed with a 90-mm gun.
Despite all improvements the 105-mm gun of the Sabalan is no match
for modern MBTs, armed with 120-mm or 125-mm guns.

There is a
coaxial 7.62-mm machine gun. It is likely that a 12.7-mm machine gun
can be fitted.

Protection
of the Sabalan is also rather poor. This new Iranian tank has a new
turret, but lacks add-on explosive reactive armor. Side skirts were
fitted.

The Sabalan
is fitted with new fire control system. The tank is also fitted with new communication system.

This tank
has a crew of four, including commander, gunner, loader and driver.

It seems
that this tank uses the same engine of the M60. It is powered by
Continental AVDS-1790-2 supercharged diesel.

Despite all
improvements overall performance of the Sabalan should be close to
upgraded Soviet
T-55 or
T-62 tanks or Chinese Type 59. It is undergunned and vulnerable to most anti-tank weapons.